Planning a December Disney Trip? Here's What to Book This Week

It is the last week of September, which means if you have a December trip on the calendar, your planning window just got real. Dining reservations for early December are opening right around now, party tickets are thinning out, and the popular holiday extras quietly disappear while everyone is still thinking about Halloween.

I love a December trip. The parks smell like cinnamon, the resort lobbies are decorated to the ceiling, and the weather is finally comfortable enough to wear a sweater without regretting it by noon. But it is also the most reservation-heavy time of year. Here is exactly what I would be doing this week.

First: pin down your park days

Before you book a single restaurant, write out which park you are doing on which day. I know that feels early, but every dining decision depends on it, and you cannot fix a 6:00 dinner in EPCOT on your Magic Kingdom day after the fact.

A few December-specific notes as you map it out:

• EPCOT Festival of the Holidays runs from late November through the end of December, with the Candlelight Processional narrated by a different celebrity most nights. Give EPCOT a full day, or two half days if you can.
• Magic Kingdom on a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party night means the park closes early to day guests. Do not plan a full regular day there unless you have a party ticket.
• Hollywood Studios gets the Sunset Seasons Greetings projections on the Tower of Terror, which are genuinely beautiful after dark. Plan to still be in the park at night.

If you want a starting framework, my sample itineraries are built around this kind of day-by-day shape.

Book party tickets now if you want a specific night

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party runs select nights from early November through late December, and the mid-December dates go first. Here is my honest advice: the early November parties are the best value. The park is already fully decorated, the crowds are lighter, the ticket price is lower, and you get the same parade, the same fireworks, and the same cookies. Nobody is checking whether it feels like Christmas outside.

Dining: the 60-day window is the whole game

Disney World dining reservations open 60 days out at 6:00 a.m. Eastern. If you are staying at a Disney resort, you can book your whole trip (up to 10 days) on your arrival day's 60-day mark, which is a real advantage.

The reservations that go fastest in December:

• Candlelight Processional dining packages at EPCOT, which get you guaranteed seating for the show. Le Cellier, Rose & Crown, and Space 220 go first.
• Cinderella's Royal Table and Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom
• Topolino's Terrace breakfast at Riviera
• Story Book Dining at Artist Point at Wilderness Lodge
• 'Ohana and Chef Mickey's, which are always in demand but especially at the holidays

Set an alarm, be logged in early, and have a backup in mind. More on where I actually like to eat is on my dining page.

The free thing people forget: resort hopping

This is my favorite December tradition and it costs nothing. The Grand Floridian gingerbread house, the Beach Club gingerbread carousel, the Wilderness Lodge tree, the Contemporary displays, the Boardwalk at night. Pick one evening, ride the monorail or a boat, and just wander. Book a lounge reservation somewhere if you want a seat, but honestly the walk-through is the point. My hotels guide has the layout of each one if you want to plan a loop.

What can wait

Lightning Lane Multi Pass does not need your attention yet. Disney resort guests can book 7 days out, everyone else 3 days out, so put a reminder in your phone and forget about it until then.

What to pack (start thinking now)

December mornings can sit in the 40s and afternoons can hit 78. Layers you can actually carry: a long sleeve base, a light cardigan or flannel, and a jacket you do not mind tying around your waist. I bring one pair of festive ears for the whole trip rather than a different pair per day, because holiday ears sell out early and I would rather buy mine in October than gamble in December. 🎄

Start with the park days, then the party ticket, then dining. Everything else falls into place after that.